


Your present

by limchi



Series: Broken [4]
Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Android Gavin Reed, Fluff, Human Upgraded Connor | RK900, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-23
Updated: 2018-12-23
Packaged: 2019-09-25 17:49:16
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,442
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17125958
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/limchi/pseuds/limchi
Summary: Aware that any banter would ruin this moment, this chance, Nines decided to meet Gavin with kindness. “Walk with me,” he answered, as he already turned around and went ahead before Gavin could voice a retort.Gavin stood idly at first. After a few seconds, quick footsteps made their way to Nines' side and the android ambled alongside him in silence. Gavin didn’t ask questions. He just followed Nines' lead. Every now and then, the android would move his head slightly to glance at Nines.Nines pretended not to notice.He tried to - but with every supposedly secret glance from the android, the smile on his face became more apparent.[I recommend reading Part 1 of the series first.]





	Your present

**Author's Note:**

> I recommend reading [Part 1/Your lie](https://archiveofourown.org/works/16738225) [1,8k words] of the series first, since it's the part where Gavin's malfunction gets explained. The other parts of the series can be disregarded.

It was difficult to tell if Gavin honestly didn’t understand his question or if he feigned it. Awful temper aside, at the end of the day nobody doubted androids intelligence in general. Their database contained a vast diversity of information by default. In addition, everything they were unfamiliar with, could easily be downloaded and added to said database.

Nines didn’t comprehend the android’s reaction. He couldn’t be that stupid.

Gavin glowered at him. “What’s with that stupid question?”

Nines answered with a one-sided shrug of his shoulder. “I was just wondering.” His tone calm and collected.

Gavin was smart. Difficult to work with, yes, nobody would argue with that, but unmistakably smart. Nines had experienced it more than once at a crime scene, discovered that Gavin was capable of more than what his functions as an android gave way to. Gavin knew how to piece things together, things that were not oblivious to the eye - neither for the human nor android eye.

However, the one flaw that bugged Nines, more than he’d ever imagined - as soon as the android opened his mouth--

“Why the hell would I celebrate some garbage like that. I’m a fuckin’ android, I don’t give a shit about human holidays.”

Nines sighed as he ran his fingers across his forehead, an attempt to massage an incoming headache away. He genuinely despised Gavin’s choice of words. “That’s fine, many people don’t wish to celebrate it, but-”

“Nines. Nines, listen. I don’t care about ‘buts’” Another flaw. Gavin enjoyed interrupting people. “I don’t give a shit.”

Defeated, Nines leaned back into his chair. Winning an argument with Gavin once again proved impossible.

Maybe he could trick the android into a compromise again.

* * *

The white underneath his shoes created a satisfying ‘crunch’ with every step he took, a sound calming his nerves in a strange manner. The falling snow muffled other sounds, lulling the park into a comfortable silence. He had walked for a while now but didn’t spot another soul.

Nines pushed his scarf down a little, his face exposed to the cold air, and pulled his phone out of the pocket of his coat. He didn’t have to scroll through an endless list of contacts - he had Gavin’s contact saved on his home screen. A real time saver.

He pressed the call button.

“Gavin, come to the park.” A short silence. “Now. You know which one.” Gavin protested on the other side of the line. ”Just come,” Nines said, eventually and ended the call.

Only ten minutes later, Nines could hear crunching footsteps approaching from behind, a weird discovery, since Gavin, lightweight as he was, usually didn’t make much noise, would often sneak up on him as a prank.

Nines turned around.

Hands stuffed into his pockets, hood pulled over his head - as always - he greeted Nines with a somewhat annoyed look on his face. “What’s up?”

Aware that any banter would ruin this moment, this chance, Nines decided to meet Gavin with kindness. “Walk with me,” he answered, as he already turned around and went ahead before Gavin could voice a retort.

Gavin stood idly at first. After a few seconds, quick footsteps made their way to Nines' side and the android ambled alongside him in silence. Gavin didn’t ask questions. He just followed Nines' lead. Every now and then, the android would move his head slightly to glance at Nines.

Nines pretended not to notice.

He tried to - but with every supposedly secret glance from the android, the smile on his face became more apparent.

Apparently, Gavin didn’t feel the need to speak up or throw a tantrum. A rare occasion. They walked in peace for only minutes, which felt like an eternity to Nines. An eternity he cherished every single second of. Their elbows bumped together, time after time. Each time, the touch lasting a little longer.

Nines dug his face into his scarf again, hiding the broad smile filled with happiness that wouldn’t disappear on its own.

After a while, Nines stopped. The android walked a few steps ahead, before he turned around, a questioning look on his face.

Nines fumbled in his pocket, a small box, not bigger than 3x3 inches coming into view, neatly wrapped in blue paper, decorated with tiny snowflakes printed on it. He handed it over to Gavin, who inspected it suspiciously from afar, brows set into a deep frown.

Reluctantly Gavin stepped closer, got his hands out of his pockets and reached out, hesitation marking his movements. Eventually, he grabbed the box. “What’s this?” He said, lips curled into a sneer.

Gavin looked up. Nines flashed him a gentle smile in return.

Gavin’s mouth opened a little, unable to comprehend the situation. His gaze swayed to the box again. He carefully unwrapped the paper, stuffed it into his pocket - leaving Nines genuinely surprised, as he had expected Gavin to rip it apart and toss it to the ground - opened the small carton and removed its content.

The object fit between the android’s stretched thumb and middle finger. Gavin raised his hand and held the object in Nines direction. “The fuck?”

Nines held his flat palm up, closed it into a fist and opened the hand again. “Squeeze it.”

Gavin mimicked the movement, squeezing the soft ball in his hand.

“It’s supposed to relieve anger and anxiety. It might help, whenever you feel distressed and your systems fail.” Nines explained.

“What the fuckin--”

Nines quickly raised his hand again, held his index finger in front of Gavin’s face and wagged it, causing the android to stop his exclamation. “Uh-uh-uh.” Nines then repeated his earlier motion, opened and closed his hand; said with a soft smile, “Squeeze it.”

Gavin squeezed the ball vigorously. “You’re mocking me, aren’t you?”

“Quite the contrary.” A tinge of red spread across his cheeks - most likely from the cold.

Gavin lowered his hand, his eyes breaking away from Nines, his LED suddenly changing from a steady blue to yellow. “I… uh,” he started, turning away from Nines, “don’t have anythin’ for you. I told you I don't celebrate this garbage.”

A low chuckle. “It’s fine. I don’t need anything, Gavin.” Nines said as he walked past Gavin.

“Nines. Where are you going?” Gavin shouted after him.

Nines turned 180 degrees, shrugged, said “Home.”, turned another 180 degrees and continued walking down the path.

No footsteps followed Nines. Instead, something hard and cold connected with his head ‘Ouch-’ he reached up to feel the leftover snow melt away under his touch. A snowball.

“It's not working, idiot.” The voice hissed from behind.

Nines looked back over his shoulder. Gavin’s hand pointed to his other one, squeezing the ball. "I'm malfunctioning right now and it's... not helping." He stuffed the soft ball into the pocket of his jacket and walked closer to Nines, narrowing the gap between them.

A worrying look appeared on Nines' face. "What's causing you distress? I’m serious, I don't need anything."

Gavin walked up closer until only a single step parted them. "Distress? Are you dense?!" Without asking, he grabbed Nines’ hand and placed it flat on his chest. “Sometimes I wonder if you honestly don’t understand or if you’re just fakin’ it.”

Nines felt the radiating heat from Gavin’s body, the slow rising and falling of the android’s chest, a quick heartbeat. The hand closed around his, squeezing tightly and Nines spotted a teal-colored blush emerging on the android’s face.

A moment, more than he could ever ask for.

"The malfunction isn't limited to negative emotions," Gavin said, as he lowered his face.

They stood in silence, before Nines free hand moved up to Gavin’s temple, gently touching the yellow spinning LED, fingertips brushing along and past it, his fingers threading through the android’s hair and pushing down the hood in the process. Nines removed his other hand from the chest, tilted Gavin’s chin up and guided him into a gentle kiss.

A soft exhale through the nose escaped Gavin. Nines felt the android relax against his touch, felt how Gavin pressed their lips together a little tighter, as the android's hands grabbed his coat and pulled him closer. When he opened his eyes, he was met with a gaze that told more than any of today's actions.

Eventually, Gavin broke the kiss, inching away slowly. "Maybe if I squeezed something bigger..." He wrapped his arms around Nines’ torso, hands intertwining at the back positioned between Nines’ coat and sweater. Cheek placed on Nines’ chest he listened to the elevated heartbeat he couldn't analyze right now.

His hands grabbed the fabric of the sweater, pulled Nines as close as possible. "Maybe that'll help..."  
  



End file.
